National cartoonist Dave Granlund's blog features his take on politics and current events -- in cartoon form

Former NBA Star Albert King Succeeding In Business After Basketball

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By Dave Granlund

National cartoonist Dave Granlund's blog features his take on politics and current events. Dave has been an editorial cartoonist published in daily newspapers since 1977. Born in Ware, Mass., Granlund began drawing cartoons in grade school and at
...

National cartoonist Dave Granlund's blog features his take on politics and current events. Dave has been an editorial cartoonist published in daily newspapers since 1977. Born in Ware, Mass., Granlund began drawing cartoons in grade school and at age 16, he was published on the editorial pages of local weekly newspapers. His eight-year enlistment in the USAF included assignments with SAC HQ and with Headquarters Command, where his duties included work as head illustrator for the Presidential Inaugural Subcommittee and providing briefing charts for the White House and support for Air Force One. As part of NATO in Operation Looking Glass with the Airborne Command Post, he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal. Dave's newspaper honors include awards from UPI, New England Press Association, International Association of Business Communicators, The Associated Press and Massachusetts Press Association. His work has been nominated numerous times for the Pulitzer Prize. His pastimes and interests include history, wood carving, antique tractors and Swedish language studies.

One of the darker sides to professional sports and the athletes who provide the thrills and memories fans endear, what happens when the cheering stops? In the case of the NBA, studies tell the ugly truth, including one that appeared in Sports Illustrated as far back as 2009, 60% of the players are bankrupt within five years of retirement. There are exceptions - enter Brooklyn born Albert King.

During a nine-season NBA career that began as the top draft pick out of Maryland by the New Jersey Nets in 1981 ( 10th pick overall ), and saw the small forward suit up for more than 1,200 games , King became familiar with all the perks bestowed upon pro hoop stars. Four teams - New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and Washington employed the 6'6" younger brother of NBA Hall of Famer Bernard King. Once retiring in 1992 , after playing in just a half dozen games for the Bullets, just a couple years past his thirtieth birthday Albert retired. Reportedly having earned north of one million dollars, why didn't the New Jersey resident fall among the 60% of his co-players in being financially broke?

"That's hard to answer," says King about the high rate of bankruptcies among NBA players. " There are a lot of success stories out their that you don't hear about in baseball, football, and other sports. To succeed you have to be willing to put in the time. Athletes are spoiled. In business, you have to leave your ego at the door, and not be afraid to get your hands dirty."

Getting his hands dirty, or in Albert's case greasy at times, is not foreign to him. Labeling himself a small business owner, Albert is the proprietor of three Wendy's franchises in Northern New Jersey. One of King's Wendy's is located at 2 Nathaniel Place in Englewood, just 17 miles from Manhattan. The restaurant in Bergen County offering 'quick service, not fast food' has King's full attention. For the past 17 years King has built another life for he and his family. He had a rather interesting introduction to becoming a Wendy's franchisee. " When I retired from basketball, I worked at a Wendy's for months, for free, to see if I liked the business," King said during our telephone conversation.

King, who was a teammate with current New York Knicks coach Mike Woodson in his rookie season as a Net, connects his success as a businessman and specifically with Wendy's, due to connecting with good people. Spyros Lenas is at the front of the line, when it comes to good people . "Spyros knows nothing about basketball. He's a neighbor," explains King. Already involved in owning various food franchises himself, Lenas served as King's mentor. It hasn't been unusual to pop in one of King's Wendy's and see the owner working the register station or the fryer. "Looking back, it was my low-key personality that has helped me get where I am today. I loved basketball but I didn't live for basketball", King states while in his office. " At first, I got weird looks. It was as if customers were thinking, what are you doing here ( working at Wendy's)."

Why Wendy's and not Burger King or McDonald's for King, who also played a season professionally in Israel ? There's no scerets or special reason for the restaurant selection. He tells of having done no market research of the fast food, rather quick service, industry. After taking over his first Wendy's, King has been on the go, learning the industry requirements as any trainee hired to work in the full-service restaurant. " I had no formal plans on what to do when I retired. I never sought out coaching," King confides.